Method of and apparatus for handling fabric webs



P. COOK Nov. 19, 1946.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FABRIC WEBS Filed Dec. 19, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Percy 0o 0 7:.

BY IWIM, W! M ,Mm

c WEBS P. COOK Nov. 19, 1946.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FABRI Filed Dec. 19, 1944 6 SheetSSheet 3 F 1 26 I L \l/ I 1 f 26 1 L INVENTOR. Pevoytlbok.

BY M,MV3-M P. COOK Nov. 19, 1946.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FABRIC WEBS Filed Dec. 19, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I I 36A INVENTOR.

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BY MMJW W P. COOK METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FABRIC WEBS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 19, 1944 h m M Patented Nov. 19, 1946 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FABRIC WEBS Percy Cook, Waltham, Mass. Application December 19, 1944, Serial No. 568,883

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to'a method of and apparatus for manipulating a longitudinally travelling web of cloth in connection with finishing operations such as dyeing, for example, to twist the web preparatory to the dyeing or other operation, or to untwist the web after the dyeing or other operation. Web manipulating apparatus of this class constitutes the subject matter of U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,248,962 issued to me July 15, 1941. In the apparatus of that patent, the web to be twisted or untwisted passes between two rollers carried by a frame or turntable which is turned by a reversible electric motor (or its equivalent) to and fro about an axis extending lengthwise of the web. An attendant, watching the travelling web. manually reverses the direction of rotation of the motor (and hence the direction of rotation of the turntable as well as the fabric) from time to time as determined by his observation of the direction of twist of the fabric. This naturally calls for his continuous observation, and involves a charge for his labor.

The present invention is concerned with a novel arrangement which obviates the need of an attendant by accomplishing the reversals and stoppages of the motor automatically under the control of the fabric and yet without contact of the controlling-means with the fabric. This is important, especially in handling delicate fabrics which would be likely to be injured by the rubbing contact of a controlling member or members. To that end, this invention'contemplates the provision of appropriate means to create a stream or flow of some sort, or the propagation of waves of some sort in a path which will be intercepted from time to time by the interposition of a portion of the travelling web, and the resultant change utilized to control the stoppage and reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor and the turntable rotated thereby.

One example of the propagation of waves which may be utilized for this purpose, and the one which I have chosen as an example for illu'strative purposes, is a means for producing a beam of light directed in a path which will be intercepted by the travelling web from time to time, and a photoelectric cell or "electric eye activated by the beam, Thus, when the light beam is intercepted by the web, the resultant change in the condition of the cell (non-activation) brings about the desired reversal or stoppa e of the twist controlling motor.

The invention will be understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of an embodiment thereof, while its scope will be pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of web manipulating apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on lin 3-3 of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the electrical parts of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings and to the apparatus disclosed therein as an example of the invention, and having reference at first to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown the machine of the aforesaid patent, which it will be convenient to refer to briefly as the de-twister because it is employed chiefly to take the twist out of the previously twisted, rope-like, dyed, fabric web which is to be opened and flattened by a machine such as that which is the subject matter of myapplication for Web guiding and stretching mechanism, Serial No. 440,787, filed April 28, 1942.

To make the present invention clear, it should 7 be explained that, as the web travels lengthwise from the dye vat, there may be, for example, a twist in one direction with varying degrees of pitch, then an absence of twist, and then a twist in the opposite direction with varying degrees of pitch, and so on. In the aforesaid patent, the de-twister is arranged with its principal axis disposed vertically and the web, after leaving the receptacle, travels upwardly to the de-twister, where it is untwisted, and thence horizontally to opening and stretching rollers. In the present case, it is convenient to place the detwister with its'axis disposed horizontally, so that the web will travel first horizontally to the de-twister and then vertically downward toward the opening and stretching mechanism.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the de-twister, for the sake of simplicity, is skeletonized and is designated I 4. It comprises generally a fixed frame IS, a rotatable frame or turntable |8,-a pair of springpressed guide rollers 20 carried by the rotatable frame, a third roller 22 mounted on the fixed frame, a. driven pulley 24 on the rotatable frame, a belt 26 connecting said pulley to a. driving pulley 28, and a reversible electric motor 30 to supply power to the driving pulley, all as disclosed in A web 32, twisted more or less in one direction or the other travels first between the guide rollers 28 and then over the third guide roller 22. The twist is removed by applying the power of the motor in whatever direction and to whatever extent is required to remove the twist by turning the rotatable frame l6.

After the web leaves the fixed guide roller 22, th opening of the web takes place under the influence of a suitable opener such as that of my aforesaid application, and the web gradually widens out as indicated, for example, at 2 in Fig. 1. The location and dimensions of this zone will vary from time to time according to the direction and extentoi twist or the absence of twist. The present invention takes advantage of these changes to control the de-twister, and this is achieved by novel means such as the example now to be described.

The controlling instrumentalities which I prefer my aforesaid patent.

to employ include two photo-electric relays 25 and 26A associated with two light sources 21 and 21A which continuously emit beams 28 and 28A of light toward the respective photo-electric relays. For the sake of brevity, it will be convenient to refer to the relay 26 as the first cell and the relay 26A as the second cell. A commercially available photo-electric relay, suitable for this purpose, is the General Electric CR 7505-K2 and the light source is CR '7 500 of the same make. The photo-electr unit comprises in a general way a photoeelectric tube, an amplifier tub which steps up the feeble current of the photo-electric tube, and a relay switch which, by opening and closing, in response to the energizing and deenergizing of the photo-electric tube, controls a forward-reverse relay 38 (see Fig. 5) and that, in turn, controls a motor switch 63, all of which controls are commercially available and may be,

for example, also of General Electric manufacture.

' These controls, as will presently appear, are so arranged that the first cell will cause the motor 30 of the de-twister i i to rotate in one direction (for example, clockwise)v while the second cell will cause the motor to rotate in the opposite direction (for example, counterclockwise).

The cells are so placed (see Fig. 1) that when the web does not obstruct the light rays to the first cell the latter is energized and therefore holds. in closed position certain switch contacts which start and maintain motor operation so long as the second relay is blanked oil" by the web.

' This condition is represented in Fig. 5. Now then.

when the web has becomede-twisted suficiently, it will obstruct the light rays from the first lightsource to the first cell and this cell will be deenergized and cause the motor to stop. This operation may occur over and over again with twists in the same direction.

When a twist develops in the opposite direction, the first light source and cell willnevertheless for a time operate to start the motor in the same direction as before and thus start to put even more twist into the web, temporarily. The rope-like zone 33 of the web will then descend into the horizontal plane of the second lightfirst stops and then reverses because the switches associated with the first cell are wired to the field windings of the motor so as to cause reverse rotation of the latter. De-twisting again begins but in the opposite direction as compared with the first'time.

Now, as the cloth starts to widen out, it blanks out the second cell, but this does, not stop the motor which nevertheless continues to operate in that same direction until the cloth has blanked out the first cell, whereupon, both cell now being blanked out, the motor will stop.

The construction and mode of operation of the controls should now be sufiiciently clear to enable theapparatus to be properly assembled and arranged employing commercially available electrical units. However, it may be desirable, though not necessary, to elaborate upon the broader and more general aspects of the circuits without going to too great and unnecessary lengths as regards precise details of magnets with their coils, armatures, switches and the like, as such details are readily available from the makers of the relays and switches employed for the purposes of the present invention.

In the present case, as in my aforesaid patent, I prefer to employ a three-phase motor. The patent, in Fig. 9 thereof, discloses a switching arrangement for controlling the motor, but there the control is vested in push-button switches which are operated by an attendant, while in the present case there is a motor switch to controlled, however, by a forward-reverse relay 38 subject to the conjoint control of the first and second cells.

In each of the photo-electric relays, there is a double-pole, double throw switch, designated .34 in the case of the first relay, and 35A in the case of the second relay. There are relay coils 36 and 36A operated by known photoelectric tubes. When no light is shining on the photo-cell, the relay coil is energized and pulls the movable contacts (the upper ones) down upon the lower, fixed contacts. 0n the other hand, when light shines on the photo-cell the magnet releasesthe movable contacts and a spring pulls them up against the fixed contacts. The showing of these parts is simplified as much as possible for clarity.

The forward-reverse relay 3B (for example, General Electric CR 7009, size 0, in practice built into the housing of the motor switch to) is a double-pole, double-throwswitch 52 as in the case of the photo-electric relays. However, it

' has its magnet coil designed to operate for exsource and cell, and the fabric will then no longer I cut oil the rays of light from the second lightsource to the second cell. Thereupon the secondcell becomes energized. At this point, it is imample on volt, 60 cycle, alternating current.

The motor switch 40 (for example, General Electric CR 7009 B A0 AD, catalog 5368680 AD) is a standard three-phase magnetic switch coniprising a forward switch 44 and a reverse switch lflA (see Fig. 9). The magnet coils of these switches, like those of the forward-reverse relays, are designed to operate on 110 volt, 60 cycle, alternating current.

The general operation should be clear from the foregoing but will be recapitulated briefly. When the cloth is running without twists, both light beams are intercepted by the cloth and the movable contacts are held down against the fixed contacts in both photoelectric relay units. No current is supplied to either coil in the motor switch. The motor is therefore at rest. This condition is represented in Fig. 5.

When a twist occurs in the cloth and this twist passes the first cell, the cloth does not intercept the beam and the latter operates the first cell.

The forward-reverse relay magnet releases the lower movable cbntacts and they are pulled up against the upper fixed contacts. Thus, current is supplied to the"forward coil of the motor switch and the motor starts. The motor always starts in the same direction regardless of the di- 6 interception by the web, to impart to the web twisting impulses in opposite directions.

5. The method of handling a fabric web, which is characterized by moving the web lengthwise,

This condition is repcell is uncovered. The light beam which operates the first cell remains uncovered. Thus, current is supplied-to the coil of the forward-reverse relay and the upper movable contacts are pulled down against the lower fixed contacts. The circuit through the forward coil of the motor switch is now broken and the circuit through the reverse coil is closed. The motor reverses its direction of rotation and the cloth now untwists. This condition is represented in Fig. 7.

The light beam which operates the second cell is again covered, and the movable contacts are pulled down against the fixed contacts. Two of the contacts of the forward-reverse relay are connected in parallel with the contacts of the second cell relay, and therefore the circuit through the relay coil remains closed until the cloth untwists suillciently to intercept the light beam which operates the first cell. This condition is represented in Fig. 8.

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of hadling a fabric web, which is characterized by the cooperation of the manipulative steps of moving the web lengthwise while at the same time controlling its twist by directing units of matter transversely of the web, and utilizing alternate interception and non-interception of the-units of matter to influence the twisting action.

2. The method of handling a fabric web, which is characterized by the cooperation of the manipulative steps of moving the web lengthwise while at the same time controlling its twist by directing units of matter transversely of the web and toward a responsive target beyond and covered and uncovered by the web as it twists or untwists,

receiving the column, utilizing response of the target to furnish a twisting impulse in one direction, and utilizing interception of the units of matter by the web to produce a twisting impulse in the opposite direction.

3. The method of handling a fabric web, which is characterized by moving the web lengthwise while controlling its twist by directing a beam of light transversely of the web, receiving the beam. utilizing reception of the beam to furnish a twisting impulse in one direction, and utilizing alterdate interception and non-interception of the aeam by the web to produce opposite twisting imoulses upon the web.

4. The method of handling a fabric web, which 5 characterized by moving the web lengthwise, ind utilizing two beams of radiant energy directed transversely of the web at different points in ts travel, and subject to interception and nonintermittently intercepted by the web utilizing'a beam of rays directed transversely of the web at one point in its travel to increase the twist, and utilizing a second beam of rays directed transversely of the web at a second point in its travel to remove the twist.

6. The method of handling a fabric web, which is characterized by moving the web lengthwise, and applying power to twist or to untwist the web by utilizing the web to intercept a column of radiant energy and utilizing the column, when not intercepted, to control the application or nonapplication of said power.

7. The method of handling a fabric web, which is characterized by the cooperation of the manipulativesteps of moving the web lengthwise, and applying power to twist or to untwist the web intermittently. by utilizing the web to intercept units of matter directed transversely of the web toward a responsive target beyond the web and to control the application of said power.

8. The method of handling a, fabric web, which is characterized by the cooperation of the manipulative steps of moving the web lengthwise, applying power to twist or to untwist the web, directing a stream of.units of matter in a path intermittently intercepted by the web as it twists or untwists, and utilizing reception of the nonintercepted units of matter to control the application of said power.

- 9. Apparatus for manipulating a longitudinally moving fabric web comprising,'in combination,

means for applying to and removing from the web a. torsional-stress tending to twist or to untwist the web, means 'for propagating energy direct'ed transversely of the web and intermittently intercepted by the web as it twists or untwists, and means for,receiving said energy, when not so intercepted, and applying the same to control the application of said torsional stress.

10. Apparatus for manipulating a, longitudinally moving fabric web comprising, in combination, means for applying to the web torsional stresses in opposite directions, means for propagating and directing energy transversely of the web and intermittently intercepted by the web as it twists and untwists, and means for receiving said energy, when not so intercepted. and applying the same to control the application and the direction of said force.

11. Apparatus for manipulating a longitudinally travelling fabric web comprising, in combination, means including a motor for applying to the web torsional stresses in opposite directions, means for producing a beam of light rays and directing the beam transversely of the web in a position to be intermittently intercepted by the web as it twists and utnwists, a light-sensitive instrumentality in position to receive and to be acted upon by the light rays when not intercepted by the web, and means responsive to the influence ,of saidinstrumentality to control said motor.

12. Apparatus for manipulating a longitudia photo-electric cellin position to receive and to be actedfupon by the light rays, when not 7 intercepted by the web, and means responsive to the influence of said cell to control the reversals and the stoppages of said motor.

13. Apparatus for manipulating a longitudinally travelling fabric web, comprising, in combination, means including a"reversible motor for applying to the web torsional stresses in opposite directions, means for producing two beams of light rays and directing the beams transversely of the web in positions to be intercepted by the web as it twists and untwists, the two positions being at diiferent points lengthwise of the travel of the web, two photo-electric cells in position to be acted upon by said beams, respectively, when not so intercepted, and means responsive to the individual and conjoint influence of said cells to control the reversals and the stoppages of said motor.

' 14. Apparatus for manipulating a longitudinally travelling-fabric web comprising, in combination, reversible means for applying to the web torsional stresses in opposite directions,

means for producing two beams and directing them transversely of the web in positions to be intercepted by the web as it twists and untwists,

the two positions being at different points lengthwise of the travel of the web, two beam receptors sensitive to said beams, respectively, when said beams are not so intercepted, and means responsive to the individual and conjoint influence of said beam receptors to control said reversible means.

15. Apparatus for.manipulating a longitudinally travelling fabric web comprising, in combination, means including a reversible electric motor for applying to the web torsional stresses in opposite directions, two light sources producing beams of light rays laterally of the axis about which the torsional stresses are exerted, two photo-electric cells disposed laterally of said axis in positions to be acted upon by said beams, respectively, when not intercepted-by the web, the position of one light source and its associated cell being in advance of the other in respect to the lengthwise travel of the web, a forwardreverse relay operated by either cell when activated by the rays from the associated light source,

and 'a forward-reverse motor switch operated by said forward-reverse relay and causing reversals and stoppages of said motor.

PERCY COOK. 

